Pocketbook clasp



May 12,1925. A 1,537,256

7 L. s. MITCHELL I POCKEIBOOK CLASP Fil ed Aug 27, 1923 INVENTOR Lewis 6'. mama ATTORNEY said pocket book orthe like will be held Patented May 12, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS S. MITCHELL, 0F SEATTLE, XVASHINGTON.

POCKETBOOK CLASP.

Application filed August 27, 1923. Serial No. 659,667;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnwrs S. MITCHELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented a new and use ful Pocketbook Clasp, of which the following is a specification. 7

My invention relates to improvements in pocket book clasps and the principal objects of theinvention'are to provide a clasp which may, be readily secured to a pocket book, bill bookor the like, and by means of which securely in the pocket to guard against theft or accidental loss. Other objects are to provide means for regulating the frictional movement of the clasp and means whereby said clasp will adjust itself to allow for different sizes of pockets and pocket books. Further objects are to provide a clasp which is simple and compact in construction, eliicient andreliable in operation, and which may be manufactured at comparatively small cost.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention .consists of the novel construction, adaptation, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed. These objects vare accomplished by means of devicesillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of the clasp;

Fig. 2 is a view in rear elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a View in vertical section taken substantially on a broken line 3, 3 of Fig. 2 and showing the application of the device; and

Fig. 4 is a view in horizontal section taken on a broken line 1, .4: ofFig.1.

Referring to the drawings throughout which like reference numerals designate like parts, the numeral 5 designates a coat pocket and the numeral 6 indicates an or dinary folding pocket book. A base plate 7, provided on its edge portions with a plurality of pointed teeth 8, is secured to the pocket book by passing said teeth'through the back or other convenient part and clinching same as clearly shown in Fig. 3 Said base plate is also provided with an upper guide member 9 and a corresponding lower guide 10 formed by offsetting portions of same.

A relatively long tongue member 11 is slidably mounted within the guides 9 and 10 and the downward movement of the plate 7 is limited by a shoulder 12 formed on the lower end of said tongue and arranged to engage the lower guide 10. The upper portion of said tongue is expanded to form a hinge member 13 with rounded shoulders 14 arranged to engage the guide 9 for limiting theu'pward movement of the I- plate An annular male boss 15 is formed on said hinge member for reasons presently set forth.

A relatively short hinge member 16 is pivotally secured to its complimental member 13 and is provided with a tapering tongue 17 having a curved end 18 for the purpose of raising same with thefinger or thumb as will be readily understood. A female boss 19 is formed on the member 16 which is slightly larger and adapted to fit over the boss 15 with space enough between to clasp the material of thepocket as shown in Fig. 3.

For the purpose of regulating the friction between the hinge members 13 and 16 the pivot pin connecting same is made in sections 20 and 21 whose end portions are internally provided with opposing right and left hand screw threads. A connecting pin 22 with reduced threaded ends adapted to engage said internally threaded sections is arranged to drawsame together or vice versa and thus increase or decrease the friction of said members as desired. Holes 23 are provided in said connecting pin and the turn of the hinge member 13 is cut away as at 24: so that a slender object may be inserted in said holes and turned to operate said connecting pin. A

The friction will be increased or decreased as said connecting pin is turned to the right or left end, by reason of the epposing screw threads, draws the heads on the pivot pin sections 20 and 21 in closer engagement, or vice versa, with the outer edges of the hinge member 16 surrounding same as will be readily understood. In other words the edges of the. cylindrical pivot parts of the hinge member 16 are drawn together and frictionally engage the that the pocket book may not be accidentally lost or taken by theft without attract-V ing the attention of the wearer. The clasp as a whole is thin and compact and by reason of the slidable plate 7 the pocket book will naturally fall to the bottom of the pocket.

Having thus described my invention, it being understood that such changes may be resorted to as are within its scope and spirit, what I claim and Le t s Paten i A pocket book clasp of the character de' scribed comprising a 'base plate, means for securing said plate to a pocket book or the like, guides formed on said plate, a hinge member having a relatively long tongue slidably mounted in said guides, means for limiting the upward and downward movcment of said plate on said tongue, a male bosson said hinge. member, a: relatively'short hinge member 'piVota-lly secured to the-first named hinge member, a female boss on said short hinge member arranged toengage desir t ecure y said male boss, and means: for regulating the friction between said hinge members substantially for the purpose'set forth.

LEWIS s. MITCHELL 

